The idea of “progressive sanctification” has some problems. It suggests that we have to achieve it by personal effort. The call of Peter to “be holy, even as He is holy” is answered by faith and not by the flesh (2 Pet 1:16).
Progressive sanctification suggests that the power to walk in holiness is somehow dependant upon us. It suggests that perfection is achieved by what we do, rather than by what Christ did on the cross. The power to walk in Christ is the power of the resurrection. It has nothing to do with a religious exercise.
It suggests that the power to live a sanctified life can be increased. The power of Christ does not increase or decrease. No hungering for more will increase it. The power of God is the new birth and once Christ comes in He stays in and He does not grow or reduce. The faith in us does not change one bit after the moment we are born again. Its freshness also does not change or depend on what we do.
Christ is always fresh! His resurrection is immortal. It is always available for us to walk in. We do grow by understanding our faith, but the faith itself does not grow. It is the faith of Christ and once we are born again His faith is in us. God’s gifts are without repentance. The quality of that faith has nothing to do with what we do. We must stop living by our own resources.
We are sanctified because we are dead and buried with Christ and that is a constant. It has nothing to do with anything that we can add. Our faith is not based on any other merit. What keeps us from sin? It is Christ in us, who quickens our mortal flesh.
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